Living Room Color Schemes, A positive Approach

Friday, September 29, 2006

Take the flower wall paper down; it's time to start really thinking about living room color schemes. Most people never even thinking about living room color schemes, because the colors are already chosen for them with the furniture that they like, and the home that they have purchased. Think about how many people buy furniture unstained, or uncovered, and at the same time, purchases a home that has yet to be painted on the inside. Right, not too many people do that, so we must focus on the obvious truth about living room color schemes, much of it is already chosen for us.

The best way to approach living room color schemes is think about what you can do, not what you can not do. This means to look at whatever you have the ability to change, and change it as much as possible to match some type of living room color scheme.

A living room color scheme is simply a coordinated effort amongst all the colors in the room to create a group, or scheme that is noticeable from a distance. Think about the stripes on a traditional prison uniform, the color scheme of that is easily identifiable as black, and white. Some rooms have single color schemes like brown, or red, or white. While most have multiple color schemes.

One of the most iconic living room color schemes of all time is the hunting lodge color scheme. This is a deep brown color that most of the furniture comes out to be, matched with a dark green wall paper. The brown and green is then matched with natural wood accents from handmade furniture. This color scheme works well together because the green and brown contrast one and other to a point that is pleasing to the eye.

While not all will want to go with the hunting lodge color scheme, there are plenty of other living room color schemes that one can utilize. One popular living room color scheme is that of grey on the walls, and tan on the furniture. The grey helps to keep the furniture the focal point, while the tan keeps the eyes from becoming too overwhelmed with color, this is a good example of a modest living room color scheme.

Regardless of the living room color schemes that you choose to implement, the important thing is that you become cognizant of what living room color schemes are, and how to create one that works for you.

Copyright shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of living room of your wildest dreams.

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The Advantages of Sofa Slip Covers

You’re tired of your old decorating scheme. You’re looking for a quick change for your home. You’ve considered paint, new flooring, and even new pictures on the wall. The problem is your sofa. It’s limiting you. Since it’s the largest thing in the room, you feel obligated to make it the focal point of the room.

That would be okay if you like the way it looked. Well, the answer is easy: change your sofa.

Sofa slipcovers offer a way to change your couch without the expense of buying a new one. You simply cover your existing sofa. Sofa slipcovers are made to fit most sizes and styles of sofas. If you have a unique, one-of-a-kind, or handmade sofa, you might have to have one custom-made. Otherwise, you should be able to buy a sofa slipcover right off the rack.

Sofa slipcovers are made in a wide variety of styles -- from fun and funky, to simple and stylish. Whatever your decorating taste and personal preferences, you should be able to find a sofa slipcover to match.

Slipcovers come in a variety of fabrics. If your sofa is used on a daily basis, you should buy a slipcover in a sturdy fabric. Denim, chintz, linen, ticking, and canvas are all good choices. They are all able to withstand repeated wear and cleaning.

Solids, stripes, checks, and florals are all popular designs for sofa slipcovers. If you have a particular fabric in mind, you could hire someone to make the cover for you. You could also try making it yourself. Sofa slipcovers are available at many department stores, linen stores, and retail stores. Online outlets also sell slipcovers. An Internet search will uncover numerous options.

Thanks to slipcovers, it no longer costs a bundle to makeover your living room. You can buy a sofa slipcover and give your room a whole new look -- all for a fraction of the cost of a new sofa.

Slip Covers provides detailed information about sofa, futon, chair, and recliner slip covers, plus custom and discount slip covers, and advice on how to make a slip cover. Slip Covers is the sister site of Duvet Covers Web.

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Bathroom Furniture Pedestal Sinks

Thursday, September 28, 2006

In choosing your bathroom sink, several points must be considered: bathroom size, usability, and function. This is probably why pedestal sinks have amassed such popularity. Aside from their practical and space-saving design, countless varieties have been offered by manufacturers to fit every need and budget. Due to the high regard received by consumers, pedestal sinks are probably the most frequently found type of sink in a lot of countries. It is also the sink of choice not only when building new houses, but also in bathroom renovations.

Just as with any bathroom sink, pedestal sinks must be firmly attached to the wall. The sink is then fitted to a column or pedestal, usually ceramic, not only to provide some support to the sink itself but also to conceal most of the plumbing. Aside from the functionality of the columns or pedestals, they now come in an assortment of styles and colors that will definitely complement your bathroom's over-all design. Interesting shapes and lines define contemporary pedestals that would fit your bathroom theme.

Sink shapes are no longer limited to the more conventional round or oval. More modern shapes, such as semi-circular or rectangular, are also available. Whatever shape you later decide on, the perfect pedestal exists for you.

Due to the columns that go with the sinks, the average sink size is only 55?65 centimeters wide. It may seem quite awkward if pedestal sinks go any wider. No matter what shape you choose, remember that the sink's bowl depth is also very generous. There are also different added features such as molded soap dishes and decorative moldings that are meant to complement either flat or upright taps.

Whatever your taste and budget may be, you are sure to find the perfect pedestal sink for your bathroom. Pedestal sinks will definitely live up to your expectations in proving their practicality and stylishness through time.

Bathroom Furniture provides detailed information on Bathroom Furniture, Bathroom Storage Furniture, Contemporary Bathroom Furniture, Wicker Bathroom Furniture and more. Bathroom Furniture is affiliated with Bathroom Vanity Sinks.

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Find the Answer for your Interior Decorating and Home Decor Needs

If you have had a home for a while, it becomes dull after a while. This can be fixed with a little paint and elbow grease. This interior decorating guide contains tips and tricks that can tap the potential of any room and bring it to life. You will find painting styles and colors, and decorating techniques.

The first thought should be the scale of work, if the remodeling project involves more than cosmetic fixture replacements or surface interior decorating, it may be time to call in an plumber to assess you in your plumbing and pipe replacement. Homeowner should weigh the pros and cons of taking on an entire bathroom project alone. Admitting your strengths and weaknesses is the key to successfully completing any project on time and under budget.

Your bathrooms represent the greatest and fastest return on your remodeling investment. More than 80 percent of your bathroom remodeling expenses can be recouped within a year of resale. Not every room in the house offers such a return. Amazingly, kitchens are sixth on the list with just over 60 percent of the costs returned. Only bathroom additions beat bathroom remodeling with returns over 90 percent.

Always hang pictures at eye level. Hanging them at eye level for the average person's height will enable them to be enjoyed and also make them work better with the furnishings, such as tables and chairs. Use accessories in odd-numbered groups. It's just a matter of poise. Such as three or five works better than even numbered groupings of four or five. Use wall-covering borders. You may want to choose neutral furnishings that can go with any interior-decorating scheme.

Look for coordinating products. Many of today's wall covering sample books feature a whole range of coordinating home-style products, such as borders, fabrics, comforters, pillow shams, place mats, table rounds, and shower curtains. Selecting a specific collection that features these products, you can put together a whole unified interior decorating package for a comparatively low cost.

Your focal point can be almost anything - a fireplace, a painting, and an entertainment center. By having a focal point, you can beautify and emphasis on the focal point and give your room a sense of constancy. Collect photos of rooms you love. If you're not sure how to recognize your interior decorating style, start collecting photos from catalogs.

When interior decorating your home, don't just go from room to room. Work up a plan for the entire home, counting budget and timetable. As you go along, you can be on the guard for products that work within your plan. Your local design center will be more than happy to help you plan your work and making it become a reality.

About The Author:

Roger King is a successful author and publisher of http://www.1st-home-decor.co Interior decorating and ideas to showcase your homes.

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Wallpaper Border Tips

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

A wall-covering integrated with the correct Wallpaper Border can greatly enhanced the entire room decoration - with a little a touch of professionalism, creativity and a few basic skills thrown in. Some of these tips may be helpful while hanging Borders for your wall.

First of all, decide which corner of the wall you want to start installing the Wallpaper Border. As for the height, a chair rail height is commonly used but need not be compulsory. Go for a design, which will best complement the overall décor of the room.

You can create beautiful architectural features by applying Wallpaper Borders around doors and windows. For example, outlining with thin strips from the border can really accentuate the shape of doors and windows, especially if you happen to have those big, ugly traditional ones.

Ceilings are often overlooked while decorating with Wallpaper Borders. What many people don’t know is that installing borders on the ceiling can give a nice effect to the room décor, holding it together visually.

Experimenting with paints can also be useful while decorating with Wallpaper Borders. For example, painting contrasting colors in and around the Border, in an array of different styles can really give a dull room some color and light. You might need to do a little sketching on paper first before applying the paints.

Vertically applied Wallpaper Borders can create visually enhancing textures for your walls. With a little more imagination, you can also make unique designs by hanging Borders in unusual directions and shapes.

Creativity is always important while installing Wallpaper Borders. For example, double bordering and using multiple Wallpaper Borders can give a very nice coated effect, while a nice drop-ceiling effect can be achieved by applying the Wallpaper Border a few inches below the ceiling all around the room.

Wallpaper Borders provides detailed information about wallpaper borders, discount wallpaper borders, kids' wallpaper borders, and more. Wallpaper Borders is affiliated with Discount Kitchen Cabinets.

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The Benefits of Ceiling Fan Lights

One of the first improvements that ceiling fan inventor Philip Diehl made on his invention was the addition of an electric light. Back in 1882, when the ceiling fan was first created, this was a big deal. Many homes and businesses had just gotten electricity and it was still a very novel idea. Now, it is hard to imagine a ceiling fan without a light. There are three main ways that a ceiling fan light is attached to the fan. Branched lights, sometimes called stemmed lights, bowl lights, and up-lights are each unique ways that ceiling fans can provide illumination.

Since ceiling fans are usually installed over the room’s light fixture, it is vital that the fan has a light. If the fan doesn’t provide light, the people must buy lamps in order to illuminate the room. A pull-chain usually controls the light, allowing the user to use the fan on its own, or have both the fan and light on at once.

Stemmed or branched lights have several adjustable arms containing light bulbs that can be pointed wherever the user wants the light to shine. Bowl lights are very common, when the light bulb is housed within a removable glass bowl that is either attached directly to the fan or hangs below it. The bowl can be clear or somewhat opaque, depending on the amount of light that people want in the room. The third type of light is the up-light. This is when the light is actually pointed at the ceiling rather than the floor. Up-lights are situated above the fan and provide a much softer light than lights that are focused downwards.

A ceiling-fan light is a convenient addition to a fan. All types of ceiling-fan lights are good at illuminating rooms while saving space.

Ceiling Fans Info provides detailed information about outdoor, tropical, discount, and kids’ ceiling fans, as well as ceiling fan blades, lights, manufacturers, and more. Ceiling Fans Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

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Bathroom Accessories

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

The bathroom is the most importance part of the house. There are many accessories in the bathroom that we take for granted: the tub, the shower stall, the sink, the commode, the shelves and other aspects. It is very difficult to imagine a bathroom that doesn’t have any of these. It is a matter of not just comfort but also hygiene.

Modern bathrooms host a very wide range of accessories that have become synonymous with comfort. Even the most ordinary articles like soap bowls, weighing scales, bath rugs, towel racks, toothbrush holders, first aid kits and dispenser bottles, can become an eyesore if they do not have their own place in the bathroom. Furthermore, it is very important that they blend in with the rest of the décor in the bathroom, and not stand out like an oddity. Presently, every house holds as many bathrooms as the number of bedrooms, with each person having their own personal space. This means as many accessories as per the different bathroom styles.

Modern bathroom accessories ought to include beautifully designed bath and shower curtains in different fabrics. They can feature exotically designed taps, shower fittings and other plumbing; modern wall-mounted or countertop accessories, such as a weigh scales that also show body mass index; stunningly carved mirrors, gorgeous lighting fixtures, and specially designed toiletries; matching towels and robes made of organic materials; plastic bag dryers and recycling bins designed to blend in with the décor; decorative glassware and potted plants; bath and shower filters; wooden carvings, hemp throw rugs, and even duvets. Throw in some furniture and you have the ultimate in bathroom comfort.

Most of these products are available in organic and eco-friendly materials. You can find these items in furnishing stores, or in stores that specialize in bathroom accessories. They can also be ordered online. Finally, some manufacturers even design products as per the customized requirements of their valued clients.

Bathrooms provides detailed information on Bathrooms, Bathroom Accessories, Bathroom Remodeling, Bathroom Vanities and more. Bathrooms is affiliated with Small Bathroom Remodeling.

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The Advantages of Corner Kitchen Sinks

If your kitchen is U-shaped or L-shaped, a corner kitchen sink is likely to increase your efficiency as it would be equidistant from your working platforms. A corner kitchen sink may be in the form of a round bowl, a rectangle, a square or even in a triangular form. You can opt for a custom-made sink made out of granite, stainless steel or copper to be a perfect fit for the kitchen corner of your choice.

A center-fit kitchen sink is preferred when your kitchen is galley-shaped. The central idea behind choosing the position of a sink is to make it most convenient for you to work. Remember, the sink plays a central role in all your kitchen activities, from the preparation of food to cleaning up after the meal.

A corner kitchen sink does not hinder movement within the floor area and allows you to work on the platform of the kitchen with easy access to the sink from either side. With manufacturers offering custom-made sinks, you have the freedom to decide on the number and shape of bowls, holes for faucets and placement of faucets (mounted on the sink or on the wall).

It is easier to find corner kitchen sinks made of stainless steel, copper, or granite than porcelain, as these are now also being custom made.

One needs to keep in mind the drainage system in the house to decide the position of the sink. The sink should be placed near the water inlet and outlet so that one need not add extra long pipes.

Kitchen Sinks Info provides detailed information on stainless steel, copper, vintage, granite, corner, and acrylic kitchen sinks, faucets, and more. Kitchen Sinks Info is the sister site of Granite Counter Tops Web.

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An Overview of Commonly Used Materials in Interior Design

Monday, September 25, 2006

Every interior space has some unique qualities attached to it. If you have visited a natural outdoor space like a forest, you will notice thousands of varieties of "textures" in the form of wooden barks, leaves, ground surfaces, stones, water etc...

All these natural elements create a unique visual effect and all visual effects have a corresponding effect on human mind. That's why when used carefully textures can create wonders in interior design.

The most commonly used materials in interior design and decoration are wood for furniture, cloth for linen, rubber/leather for flooring or upholstery, paper as wallpapers, plastic for accessories like lampshades and other decorative items, steel for furniture.

Let's take a closer look at these materials and their textural qualities.

1) Wood....

Most commonly used for furniture, door frames, shutters. The main reason behind this is it is easy to work with wood. The art of carpentry is an age old profession. Because of the nature of wood like softness and the same time the amount of strength it can withstand, makes it a popular choice amongst furniture designers.

A fully polished wood surface gives a very rich finish and projects user friendliness. Also wood comes in many varieties and colors, each having its own pros and cons.

2) Cloth....

A very natural choice for linen. Since a cloth finish is a smooth one it is most suitable in a bedroom where comfort is a very vital factor. The biggest advantage of various types of cloth is that most types are washable so maintenance is easy.

Cloth has one more important quality that it can be "painted" for expressing detailed decorative patterns, that can greatly add to the beauty of the space.

It is also possible to do "embroidery" on cloth, if painting is not a good choice or budget doesn't allow. Depending upon the weave of the cloth strands the thickness, transparency, etc. can be easily achieved. This makes the cloth most suitable for various kinds of uses such as linen, curtains, bed sheets, etc...

3) Rubber/Leather....

Rubber is used in the form of PVC flooring, is easily available and most importantly is wash proof and durable. It can be printed upon using design patterns of any style, rich with colors. Comes in the form of large sheets or even individual tiles.

Unlike tiled flooring the PVC flooring is much less affected by atmospheric changes. Other types of tiled floorings or even wooden flooring can have a direct effect on the surface because of the expansion and contraction of the flooring material. A PVC flooring is glued to the tiled flooring I hope you have benefited from these words.

4) Plastic....

There are infinite uses of this great material. The only disadvantage environmentalist have pointed out that it is not bio-degradable.

Because of its artificial nature it can be "manufactured" in various. colors, shapes, sizes, strength. The biggest advantage of plastic is it is waterproof and electrical shockproof. That's why mainly used for electrical accessories. It is lightweight as compared to other material types. Entire furniture pieces such as chairs, tables can be easily molded out as a seamless model in plastic.

5) Steel/Iron....

Steel is mostly used in interior design where the main purpose is to give support and carry weight to the floor. That's why main use of steel is done to create the structural frame that carries the weight of the people who are going to use the furniture piece.

A very common type of steel is the "Stainless Steel". Because of its shining nature, it very quickly gives a rich quality to the object being used on and enhances the overall quality of the interior space.

Furniture objects that have been designed with a combination of wood and steel look much balanced from aesthetic point of view. But doing so requires a careful study of the joiner details, especially where wood and steel joint together.

The following discussion was only a brief introduction of the types of material being used in interior design industry. Every day more and more good quality and cheaper material types are being presented in the market. I hope this article was informative to everyone.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of Bedroom-Design-And-Decorating-Ideas.com. Here you will find some great concept level design tips for bedroom sets.Visit today.

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Ceiling Panels And Their Use In Interior Spaces

Using ceiling panels in interior is a great way to create high quality and functional ceiling spaces. These panels can be both functional and aesthetically important.

There are many uses of panels such as carrying light fixtures to providing special purpose for example acoustic, noise reduction and soundproofing.

Ceiling panels come in a variety of materials such as made of cork, wood, metal etc. These panels are also suitable for almost all types of roof shapes such as truss, flat, vaulted.

Let's have a look at the most common functions of these panels used for interior lighting.

1) In the first type the entire ceiling area is covered by using the selected ceiling tiles or plans using a square grid. Metal ropes are used to "hang" the ceiling panels from constructed ceiling at corners of the grid. Then depending upon the panel material the panels are screwed to this grid from bottom.

The main function of this type of paneling is to carry light fixtures. This is used in a very large column less space such as an auditorium or large office space. The grid layout makes it easy to maintain and service in the future.

2) In the second type the panels are used as secondary light source. Instead of carrying the light fixture with them, these panels only receive light from other lighting sources and reflects evenly in the entire space. For this purposed they have a very glossy finish to increase the amount of reflection. The shape and size of the panels or whether to use a single or multiple panels is very carefully worked out depending upon the number and location of direct light sources.

This type of paneling works best for small office spaces such as conference halls, cabins, residential living room etc. Since these panels also becomes a part of the entire design form, a very careful thought must be given about the theme of the design before installing them.

3) In the third type ceiling panels are used very creatively by creating levels. This requires a substantial ceiling height in order to play with levels and allow a good "head room" below the lowest point of the ceiling. In this type the lower level ceiling panels carry the light fixtures and throw direct light on the upper level ceiling panels so that they can distribute it evenly in remote area of the space.

Light fixture can also be used to direct on the walls to create a "mood". the biggest advantage of this type of system is that the light source is hidden from direct vision and thus creates a very smooth and uniform lighting in the interior space.

4) There is one more way these panels can be used in interior spaces for distributing light. Instead of using them on ceiling they can be used on walls to reflect direct sunlight evenly.

If used creatively on walls that receives direct sunlight, two functions can be easily achieved. a) Decreasing the intensity of sunlight b) Reflecting it to remote interior spaces using proper angle.

But unlike an artificial light source the direction and intensity of sunlight constantly changes in a day. To cater this the panels can be made "adjustable" to serve the changed day conditions.

I hope this article was useful to create a spark of imagination in your mind.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of http://www.livingroomdatabase.com. Visit today to get more free tips on designing and decorating a beautiful and charming living room of your wildest dreams.

More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com

The Natural Vs Artificial Living Room Lighting

One of the most common elements in a living room is a television, and one of the most common problems with the television is keeping it dark enough in the room to watch. With the advancement of plasma, digital light processing, and LCD televisions, living rooms are having to become darker, and darker. When I first purchased my 42 inch plasma television for my bedroom, I was overjoyed at the picture, but felt less excited the next morning when the sun in my room nearly destroyed my ability to view this amazing T.V. For those that think lighting in a living room isn't important, hopefully the example of my plasma T.V. will serve as a reminder to how important lighting is in a room.

There are two types of lighting when dealing with living room lighting issues, natural, and artificial. Natural lighting is the preferred choice for many outdoors types, while artificial often is the choice for the gadget-oriented type. Natural light serves well for reading a book, or illuminating a room for conversation, while it can be cumbersome to trying to view a computer screen, or television.

Natural light is best achieved through placement of windows, skylights, and doorways, in other words things you might not be able to control in a living room. The best way to handle living room lighting is to manipulate the existing natural light in a way that you want. Simply evaluate the amount of natural light coming into your living room, and buy curtains, or window coverings to shade whatever element you are dealing with. For some, the natural light is a must have, and thus the windows stay unobstructed for the entire day.

Artificial light is anything but natural light, and is often utilized in new age forms like track lighting, and halogen bulbs. The living room lighting fixtures that fit your area the best simply will be the ones that design, and function wise hold up to your needs. Since technology has helped create a number of environmentally safe bulbs for artificial lighting, make sure you include them in your living room lighting plan.

Whether choosing to light your room naturally, or artificially, simply take notice, and take action. One can preempt the biggest issues with natural light by evaluating the situation before moving into a place. If you aren't big on natural light, it might not make sense to move into that high-rise loft, that has 12 foot windows throughout the space. Conversely, if you are looking for artificial lighting, make sure the electrical foundation of a house is strong enough to install the new track lighting system of your dreams in the living room. If you're moving into a home that was built in 1903, chances are you'll need a licensed contractor to fix your problem.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of http://www.livingroomdatabase.com. Visit today to get more free tips on designing and decorating a beautiful and charming living room of your wildest dreams.

More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com

Effective Kitchen Lighting

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Learn how to choose the most functional and efficient kitchen lighting.

The kitchen is usually the central room of a home. Often it serves many functions other than cooking and eating. Placement and style of lighting can play an important role in the functionality. The best way to achieve this is by having a good design plan from the start.

Proficient kitchen lighting should focus on the task areas first. Task lights should go over an island, sink, countertop, stove or any other important work areas in your kitchen. Having your task lights set on separate on/off switches will keep you from using too much energy in the room. Separate switches also allow you to be able to keep one small task light on during the day or as a night light.

Depending on the size of your kitchen, the number of task lights you include and the type of light you use will heavily influence the need for background lighting. In many cases, the task kitchen lighting is sufficient without the need for background lights. In many kitchens, background lighting is used only to accentuate certain areas of the room or as a focal point display

Kitchen Lighting

Kitchen lighting that is placed using the task placement encourages energy efficiency. Task lighting allows you to only use light in the areas in which you do work. This can save you a tremendous amount of energy throughout the house. Another way to have great kitchen lighting, and still save energy, is by installing dimmer switches. Using a dimmer allows you to adjust the light by reducing or increasing the power of the bulb as you see fit.

Using motion sensor lights are also great for lighting and saving energy, even if it is not typically used for kitchen lighting. Most people are familiar with outdoor motion lights but not too many think about using them inside. In fact, motion lights make great closet, bathroom, pantry and small space lights.

The success of your kitchen lighting is dependent on incorporating bulbs, fixtures and controls in an overall plan that is well thought out. Planning out all apsects of your lighting desgin is the key to having more effective and efficient kitchen lighting.

About the author:

This article was written by Gregg Hicks of http://www.reliableremodeler.com which provides Internet-based home improvement information and services. Offering homeowners a simple, quick, and free way to access, qualified home improvement remodeling contractors.

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Bathroom Storage Furniture

A very basic bathroom suite is a toilet, a washbasin and a bath with matching taps and handles. However, there are more appliances, such as bidets, and extra items like cabinets, mirrors and storage solutions for the toiletries and other bathroom paraphernalia. Flexible cabinets, which have mirrors, lights and shaver sockets, are also available. The storage space being critical, the design should incorporate vanities on either side of pedestal sinks, with low-hung cabinets and even dressers for undergarments. Cabinets are normally furniture-grade and complement the bedroom furniture. The material used is oak or maple in natural or light tints.

Extra attention is paid to details such as outlets inside tower cabinets for hair dryers, electric shavers or other electrical appliances, as well as ironing boards and hampers built inside closets. Also, top cabinets.

hide bathroom clutter while offering access to everything. The side cabinet, from the floor to hip level, is one of the latest trends. It comes with a washbasin and shelves to store the daily toiletries like the toothbrush, toothpaste, soaps and more. In the cabinet one can store towels and other linens.

The design of any bathroom will always include bathroom storage. One can find a combination sink/vanity for extra storage. A great bathroom design idea is that one can never have too much bathroom storage! One has to use the wall space wisely, with shelves or cabinets over the commode or almost anywhere in the bathroom. One can consider using corner shelves, and hanging towel bars above one another. Also, one can add a medicine cabinet with a mirror to the bathroom to store grooming supplies, medicine or toiletries. Traditionally, the medicine cabinet was always located above the vanity or sink, but nowadays one can place it elsewhere in the bathroom. One can also add a shower caddy to the corner shower for extra storage.

Bathroom Furniture provides detailed information on Bathroom Furniture, Bathroom Storage Furniture, Contemporary Bathroom Furniture, Wicker Bathroom Furniture and more. Bathroom Furniture is affiliated with Bathroom Vanity Sinks.

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Decorative Ceramic Tiles

Using decorative ceramic tiles provides accent to a household area. Compared to regular tiles, decorative ceramic tiles can stand-alone. Because of their intricate designs, only a minimal amount of other decorative features may be required.

Each decorative tile may cost anywhere between $5 and $50. Depending on the quantity of tiles, some suppliers offer discounts. To find decorative tile suppliers, the Internet can be used. Just key in "decorative tile supplier" and a host of ceramic tile designers can be found.

Because of the wide variety of designs to choose from, it may be difficult to pick the most appropriate tiles. However, this can be made easier by limiting the choices available. First, it is helpful to imagine the colors and designs that match the theme of the area where the ceramic tiles will be used. Tile artists can be contacted to assist in deciding the appropriate decorative style. They may provide sample ceramic tile layouts.

To save money, homeowners may also choose to mix decorative ceramic tiles with plain ones. Tiles that have solid color usually give more emphasis to the decorative tiles. When used properly, they can prove to be an important component.

For kitchens, ceramic tiles with mosaic designs are also applicable. These tiles are pre-assembled on mesh for easier installation. Mosaic designs usually give an antique feel to the kitchen area, something that most household owners look for.

Using decorative ceramic tiles in hidden areas or those that are hardly reachable by sight will only prove useless and a waste of a great deal of money.

Ceramic Tile provides detailed information on Ceramic Tile, Ceramic Floor Tile, Ceramic Tile Design, Installing Ceramic Tile and more. Ceramic Tile is affiliated with Mosaic Arts.

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Ceiling Lighting Fixtures

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Ceiling lighting fixtures are primarily meant to hold bulbs in position, directing light in the desired direction. They come in a variety of designs, shapes, sizes, types and ranges. A ceiling lighting fixture should be chosen in accordance with specific requirements like the amount of light it diffuses or disperses, direct or diffused lighting requirements, maintenance requirements, installation cost, overall style of the space, etc.

One should always look for lighting fixtures that maximize the light efficiency of the bulbs. An unwise buy based purely on the exterior beauty might absorb too much of the bulb’s light or emit light to the cavities in the ceiling. Efficiency specification of ceiling lighting fixtures should be considered while making a purchase. Apart from that, one should remember that specific lighting fixtures are meant for specific bulbs and the lighting fixtures should be checked for these criteria during a purchase.

The overall look and style of the space should be taken into account, so that a ceiling lighting fixture complements and accentuates the look. A huge chandelier looks out of place in a small space, just as a small chandelier is easily overlooked in a large space.

Indirect lighting fixtures should be chosen to avoid glare and visual fatigue formed by direct lights, especially in rooms with reflective surfaces and in offices with computers. A ceiling lighting fixture in the kitchen can house an energy-efficient florescent bulb.

Some of the ceiling lighting fixtures include fixtures for chandeliers, recessed lighting fixtures, indirect lighting fixtures, florescent ceiling light fixtures, energy efficient ceiling lighting fixtures, flush mounted, semi-flush mounted and track or monorail lighting. Their style can range from traditional, conventional, trendy and stylish, rustic, Victorian, Tiffany, tropical and many more.

They can present a wide array of finishes. While installing ceiling lighting fixtures it is important to measure the height of the fixtures from the floor. Depending on the height, a suitable lighting fixture should be chosen. Ceiling lightings and fixtures can be used in hallways, patios, foyers, stairways, task areas, and bedrooms.

About the author:

Lighting Fixtures provides detailed information on Lighting Fixtures, Bathroom Lighting Fixtures, Ceiling Lighting Fixtures, Outdoor Lighting Fixtures and more. Lighting Fixtures is affiliated with Outdoor Lighting.

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Which Floor Coverings Are Best Suited For Our Family Homes

The feeling of moving into a new home or doing some major renovations and decorating on your existing one is a truly wonderful experience. I think change is important generally and particularly in the home environment where we spend so much of our time. Everyone's life needs a little modification from time to time whether it's a new hair style, an item of furniture, or a change of partner. Just kidding on the last one! My wife and I are in the process of moving into our dream cottage. It's not very big but it certainly has the potential to become a beautiful home once we've decided on the interior design. At the moment we're at loggerheads over the floor coverings.

My wife loves her carpets but I think there are better floor coverings to be had. She says they make a home homely and warm and add softness and texture to a room. She is right of course, but my main gripe is that carpets are filthy things and one heck of a job to keep clean. I know that carpet manufacturers have made carpet cleaning easier over the years by adding special stain protecting chemicals during the manufacturing process, but I'm convinced this wears off long before the carpets are ready for replacing.

Dust mites are another issue and even the cleanest of homes can have problems with these little sods. Our grandson is a sufferer of asthma and has an allergic reaction to their feces, which is another reason why I think we should rule out carpets in our choice of floor coverings, especially in the main living areas and guest bedroom.

I mean, just think about if for a second. Put a pure white carpet in your living room and imagine what it will look like a year or so from now. Not a pretty sight eh? Even the cleanest of the clean would have problems keeping it looking white for long. My wife doesn't let me wear a shirt more than once before she slings it in the wash, yet expects us to tread over a carpet for years without as much as a rinse. No, I want us to start off with floor coverings that are easy to keep clean, and I have my heart set on hardwood flooring.

In my opinion, hardwood flooring has a natural beauty that will give any room a lovely warm feeling. It can be had in various styles, shades, and woods too, so it's easy to find that perfect look for your interior. Oh, and did I forget to mention that it's easy to keep clean. Of course, my wife has her corner to argue. "Hardwood floors can be easily damaged with water" she smugly points out. This is true but no one would leave a spill on a floor long enough to cause damage, whether it's wood or carpet. So unless the fish tank explodes when we're out for the day, I can't see the problem! She also argues that heels on shoes can damage wood floors and the sunlight will change or fade the color over time. Isn't married life just bliss?

Oh well, I'm sure we'll come to a compromise before we've done. We always manage to sort things out in the end. Anyway, never before have there been so many different floor coverings to choose from. Flooring materials are far more varied than they used to be, offering a combination of style and function. We not restricted to just carpet or wood as there are also options for laminate, tile, and vinyl. Now vinyl may sound cheap and cheerful, but if you haven't seen some of the hi-tech vinyls around today, then you're in for a pleasant surprise. Having said that, I wouldn't personally have it fitted in the lounge or bedrooms. Each covering can have its place and what we need to do is sit down and have a jolly good chat about which rooms are best suited to what floor coverings. Stay tuned!

About the Author:

Gary Tooth is a proficient writer for Floorsforfolks.com where he has articles on Marble Floor Tiles and Epoxy Floor Coatings. He also has other floor related pieces on the site.

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Making Creative Use Of Living Room Tables For Decorating

Friday, September 22, 2006

A table is a furniture unit which is seen in every home used for a variety of purposes from study to dining, tables are a very popular type of furniture unit. Theoretically speaking a table is nothing but a horizontal platform with legs that support various activities in everyday work.

Since the primary function of a table can not be defined with 100% guarantee the form and shape/size of tables greatly vary. For example tables for studying/dining/coffee/in restaurants/in bedrooms/ in living rooms all have different sizes.

In living rooms two types of tables are primarily used. First are the end tables that come with a living room furniture set as part of the other furniture units like sofas and chairs and the second type is a coffee table. As the name suggests a coffee table is normally placed in the center of the "loop" formed by sofas and is used to serve eatables or drinks etc. because of this the overall volume of the coffee table is short and does not "over occupy" the living room.

On the other hand end tables are only used as fillers to occupy the small corners at the "end" of sofa units where living room ends. These kind of tables are also mostly used to keep a flowering arrangement or statues that will hide the unwanted corners of the room. The typical height of both end and coffee tables measures to be 450 mm (1 feet 6 inches approx.) This height does not obstruct the vision of the people occupying the living room.

The coffee table normally comes in a two layer design. The upper layer is used to serve coffee or other eatables and the lower layer can be used to keep magazines/newspapers.

One very creative way to break the old pattern of decorating is to use the end tables as a coffee table but in more numbers. For example instead of using a single rectangular coffee table with glass top you can use two wooden end tables and two glass+steel end tables to create an interesting pattern. Since the end tables measure shorter in demission around 450mmX450mm such type of design will not obstruct the human movement between the sofa loop.

Also the variation in top surface material will give rise to interesting material themes that can be repeated elsewhere also. Some possible shapes of such an arrangement could be

* A big square using 4 small squares end tables of different top surface finish

* 2 small square tables with 2 half round tables at both ends to form a "capsule" shape in plan.

* Two rectangular end tables to for a "L" shape.

The variations can be unlimited if done creatively. But one thing remains to explore here, what happens to the "end" space where these end tables need to be placed primarily? Of course this space is a good one to place a attention grabbing feature such as a medium height plant or even designer lampposts. The advantage of using these is they will evenly balance the visual focus away from the center tables and form a visual frame in the living room by providing good lighting at the same time.

Many more creative ideas are possible using simple tables in the living room. I hope you will find more new ways to use them in your home. I have tried to mark a few ones here

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of http://www.livingroomdatabase.com Visit today to get more free tips on making use of living room tables and other furniture models such as chairs, sofas, and living room sets in home decorating.

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Carpet Tiles Are Easy To Install In Kitchens, and Children's Bedrooms

Carpet tiles have a great much advantage. They combine the warmth and style of a carpet with the longwearing, washable qualities of a tiled floor. This makes them practical and reasonably inexpensive option for any of the well-trafficked and accident-prone area of your home.

Well know for their heavy-duty, durable qualities, carpet tiles are very easy to install as well as to replace, when necessary. They are available in a relatively limited range of colors, patterns, and sizes, and are constructed with either a cord or a pile finish. The tiles are square and made from polypropylene fibers bonded onto asphalt backing.

They are light to work with and easy to cut, so you need no special tools or experience to fit them. The only tile which require sticking down are the tile around the edge of the room and the vary first one you lay. Use double-sided tape to stop them from moving and to anchor the rest of the flooring; lay the remainder loose, without using tacks or adhesive.

Regular vacuuming picks up everyday dust and dirt. If there is a particularly stubborn spill or stain on an individual tile, lift it up to rinse it under the faucet. Remember to dry it well before putting it back. If a single carpet tile gets worn out or damaged, simply replace it, without the hassle of disturbing the surrounding pieces.

Each floor tile has an arrow on the back to show the direction of the pile. For a smooth look, lay all the tiles with the arrows pointing in the same direction. For a check board effect, lay alternate tile with the arrows pointing at right angles to each other. When laying carpet tiles it is important to start with a smooth, flat floor surface.

About The Author:

Roger King has install wall to wall carpeting for several years, and have done several homes. Since then he's been helping people find and review the best floor selection, to meet their needs. Visit his Web site to learn more about this service: http://www.install-wood-floor.com

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Curtain Rod Tips Or How To Hang Your Curtains In Style

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Before, they were used to simply serve their purpose — hang curtains. Today, curtain rods are more than just a tool. They have evolved into a more functional, more sophisticated devices that do not just hang curtains but also compliment and enhance the overall effect of the drapes.

Showing more skin, curtain rods are no longer the typical metal or wooden sticks used to hang curtains. They have evolved into remarkable works of skill or talent, showing every design as an intricate sketch of masterpiece.

Wooden curtain rods are now made more sophisticated and classy. Most of them are handmade and crafted with the most top-rated materials to bring out the beauty of the wooden material.

Various designs were sculptured in the wood, with different glaze materials or varnish as the finishing touches. Hence, you can make either a Victorian or a Western-inspired window with curtain rods that were made from high-quality wooden materials.

On the other hand, the solid and powerful effect of metal curtain rods is no longer confined to the usual plain metal stick. With the growing popularity of metal curtain rods, consumers now have more choices. They can choose from a wide array of metal curtain rods such as solid brass, chrome, graphite with brass, and brushed chrome.

With a wider range of choices, more and more manufacturers tried to develop newer, fresher, and more exquisite designs to compliment, contrast, or enhance the beauty of curtains. They can even modify plain curtains by transforming them into something more elegant.

Installing curtain rods has also evolved into an innovation, bringing ease and convenience in mounting curtain rods on walls, woods, or other types of surfaces. Hence, whether you live in a castle, cabin, or the classic abode, there is certainly a good curtain rod that will suit your taste, your style, and of course, your curtains.

However, curtain rods do not just differ according to their designs or structures. They also differ in sizes and shapes. Hence, it is important to measure your windows first before you go out and buy your curtain rods.

Here are some things you must consider when buying curtain rods:

1. Your windows

Your windows have different sizes, according to your plan when you were just building your house. And even if you have bought a ready-made house, window sizes are not standard for all types of houses. Hence, it is extremely important to measure your windows first before you start buying your curtain rods.

All you have to do is to measure the outside part of your window. This is where you will mount your curtain rods. It is best to have the correct size than to waste time and money by going back to the store just because you have to wrong size.

Keep in mind that as a rule, your curtain rods should always be longer than your window by as much as 5 inches. This ensures total coverage for your windows.

2. Your curtains

Of course, you should never start buying curtain rods without looking first at the curtains that you will use. The types of curtains you will use will determine the type of curtain rod that you have to buy.

For example, if you will be using the typical designs of curtains that flow straight down the wall, you will have to buy a chrome curtain rod, for heavier drapes, you need to buy stronger metals such as graphite with brass or solid brass.

3. Strength of the curtain rod

You would not want your curtains sagged unattractively down your windows, right? Hence, to avoid such dilemma, it is best to choose curtains rods according to their strength and capacity to hold a certain type of drapes or curtains.

For heavier curtains, it is best to choose stronger, more solid curtain rods. Supporting devices should also be considered. These brackets provide end-to-end support for the rod, as well as support for the middle portion of the curtain rod.

4. Your budget

Curtain rods can be very expensive especially if they were made from high-quality materials. Hence, if you cannot afford to buy those expensive kinds, it is best to stick the ordinary.

Keep in mind that decorating your home with good sets of curtain rods can change the way people will look at it. However, it does not necessarily mean that you have to spend more than what you can afford just to decorate your house.

So the next time you buy your curtain rods, consider these factors and you will definitely make a big difference. Even if curtain rods are generally seen as something that holds up your curtains, they can also reflect the kind of personality that you have.

About the author:

Lee Dobbins writes for http://curtains.home-webzone.com where you can learn more about different curtain rods and choosing the right curtains for your room.

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How to Use Picture Frames to Decorate an Interior Space

We all have seen paintings being used in our home interiors. They play a major role when it comes to decorating an interior space.

There are basically two types of frames, first are the photographs captured using a camera and others are hand drawn sketches or paintings. There are two major aspects to a picture frame, the frame itself and the subject of the picture.

When it comes to the subject of the picture a vast majority and almost infinite subjects are available to choose from. Photos or hand drawn pictures of birds, animals, natural beauty, people, portraits, birds, scenery, architecture, cityscapes, mountains, oceans and sea, geometric shapes, non-geometric shapes, abstract shapes, strokes, flowers, interiors, vehicles, and a whole lot more...can be "framed" to form a beautiful picture frame.

When it comes to choosing the exact subject of the picture frame, one must recognize the surroundings of the interior space, location where the picture frame is going to appear, the quality and dimensions of the wall surface where the picture frame will appear. It is always not true that the picture will be put on the wall. Sometimes small frames standing on the table can greatly add the liveliness of a room.

It is important to consider that we are going to use the painting as a "filler" on the wall. The space on the wall, which is empty, gets filled up with interesting array of colors present in the picture. Colors attract the attention of the visitor and creates moods in his/her mind.

Let's see an example of how a picture frame creates moods in our mind. Here I use 4 photographs of kittens and frame them to for picture frames to use on an empty wall in my bedroom. I locate these frames such that I see them prominently when I enter the bedroom. The real life photos of kittens instantly create a soothing and compassionate feelings in me which are in tune with how I feel in my bedroom sleeping on my bed.

On the other hand if I use a photo of the "Ford Mustang" , my feelings would be more of a alert nature because of the various memories attached to it previously. On the other hand if I use the Ford Mustang photo in my study room, that would greatly help to warm up the atmosphere.

That's why subjects that create a soothing mindset such as natural beauty, photos/portraits of children, etc.. can be used where the human activity is of low nature such as bedrooms, bathrooms, etc..

There is one more element that can affect the choice of a picture frame in an interior space. The "design theme" of a space must be given importance while selecting the picture. If the interior design theme is of oriental nature, then picture with more use of colors will look good. This is because in an oriental design style more emphasis is given on "decorative elements" such as drapes, cornices, tiny plaster treatments, window and door frames, decorations in brass, etc..

To enhance the continuity of this theme on the empty wall surface a painting with more detailed subject should be used. Picture of natural scenery is best suited for this, because "nature" is full of variety of colors and their shades, that can greatly enhance the beauty of the space.

A little creative thinking can add some more interest to the picture. For example what if I totally remove the frame which holds the picture intact and "press" the picture between two glass plates. Only metallic clamps at the four corners can be used to hold the glass plates together. Artificial light used in the room will then cast a shadow of the picture on the wall behind and can add "depth" to the picture surface.

Picture frames with the ability to replace the picture is a good starting point. This give s to control to test what's good and impressive in your room. This article was just a starting point to ignite the imagination in your mind. I hope it has helped you and you have enjoyed the text.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of Bedroom-Design-And-Decorating-Ideas.com. Visit today to find some great concept level design tips for bedroom sets.

Article Source: Interior Design Guide

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The Secret to Your Home's Interior Design

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

The secret to your home’s interior design is Love.

If you love yourself, you create a home for your happiness.

If you love your family and friends, you create a home for their happiness.

The next step of love is to be grateful for your home. Gratitude lays the foundation for creating glorious spaces to share your love.

The final aspect of love is joy. Homes designed for joyful living are not decorated for prestige and show; homes designed for gracious living are decorated for happiness and the joy of life!

Interior Design Psychology Tips for Decorating Your Home with Love

1. Don't clutter your home with too much decorating. The important accessory in your home is you and your family or friends. Select quality furnishings for comfort, beauty, function, and emotional support.

2. Create spaces that support your emotional well-being and productivity. Determine the activity of a space and choose design details that support this use. For instance, soft gray walls in home offices give support for creative writing while slate blue striped walls offer organized tranquility.

3. Give tribute to your family heritage. Honor your ancestors by using design details that tie to your sense of tradition.

4. Bring Mother Nature indoors. Green foliage represents life and growth. People have an innate sense of feeling connected to the earth. As a bonus, houseplants help keep the air fresh.

5. Add your personal touch and creativity. Design a stencil from a loved object or make a stained glass window. Feel connected to your home through physical work and your daydreams of the next improvement.

Celebrate life; love your home.

Joy to you!

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.


About the Author:

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm


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A Well Layout Home Interior Design Accommodates A Variety Of Activities

Monday, September 18, 2006

A room will stay looking good for a long time if you decorate it correctly and take the time to prepare the surfaces carefully and properly. There is an enormous range of home interior designs available today, so that making your own home furnishings is more rewarding than ever before. When choosing fabrics, bear in mind that texture and the way a fabric drapes are as important as color and pattern.

Whether we like it or not, as we grow older the way we deal with everyday home interior designs begins to subtly change. Almost anyone can handle demolition or get a room ready to paint. If you’re buying from a home center or cabinet supplier, design services are inexpensive and usually added to the cost of the installation. Unfortunately, as you begin to budget, reality often posing as your bank account usually step in and demands concessions.

If you want to replace or add to existing furniture, a plan quickly shows you what will work in the available space. The main type of plan that are useful for these purposes are floor and wall plans. You may have the luxury of a fabulous amount of space to play with but, unless you have a very large house, you also have to fit a lot of activities into it. If you find you need more privacy in a particular area of the living space, erect a formal room divider.

If the room leaves a lot to be desired, work according to short and long-term aims.
Pattern is often just as appropriate for a small room as a large one. Often a few small touches will go a long way to making your home interior designs remain a happy one. If you are keeping some or most of the existing features, it’s not always easy to pinpoint exactly what you need to do to a room that lacks inspiration.

About the author:

Roger King has been involved in home interior designs for several years, and have done several homes. Since then he's been helping people find and review the best value for interior design solutions, to meet their needs. Visit his Web site to learn more about this service: www.all-homeinteriordesigns.com

Article Source: http://www.articlecube.com

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Vertical Roller Blinds-Spicing Up Your Room

If you're about to change the interior of your room, certainly, it has a lot of work to do. You can start in changing the color of the walls and ceiling for the delight of your eyes to see. Then, you can rearrange the current positions of the bed, chairs, and tables. You can also bring additional decorative stuffs on the wall and to the windows.

With regards to the windows, if you had enough of the style, you can be able to bring it back to life. By giving your window the needed additional value, a vertical roller blind is the answer.

Vertical roller blinds simply not add value but also beauty to your restyled room. Vertical roller blinds are also an inexpensive mean to finally decorate and redesign your room. For you to choose, roller blinds are available in different kinds of materials and can provide the alternative way for using shutters and curtains.

Specifically, vertical roller blinds can give improved light control than having horizontal blinds to your window room. Also, vertical roller blinds are steadier than setting up your window with horizontal blinds. Since vertical roller blinds can be opened in sideways, roller blinds can work not only to your window room but also for your doors in the home. Vertical roller blinds can be opened from the middle or from the side. In combining your vertical roller binds with a sliding glass door, it can do great wonders in restyling your room.

The vanes of the vertical roller blinds of your choice can be made from aluminum, fabric, faux wood, or vinyl. In choosing of what kind of material, it will depend to what is will suit on the new idea of your room.

Vertical roller wood blinds will fit if you have some wooden furniture in the room. Roller wood blinds can come in different colors and several wood tones. Due to that wood blinds have their natural look and improved insulation capabilities, it can cost you more. For you to know, roller wood blinds need more care than aluminum or vinyl blinds.

Vertical roller blinds that are made of fabric material can be also an option to your room. Due to the fact of their opacity, roller fabric blinds don't stop the light totally from going through your room. So it can give a spectacular effect in combination of shade and light entering your room. Vertical roller blinds can be operated by either of a cord or safety wands. Safety wands nowadays are more popular as they function in precise and is more durable than cords.

So in fixing your styled new room is up to you. With vertical roller blinds of your choice, your room will never be the same again.

About the Author:

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on blinds, which ones best suited for your home & blinds maintainence, please visit http://blinds.articlekeep.com

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How To Pick The Right Living Room Decorating Themes?

One can do nearly anything they want with living room design these days, yet it is still important to consider living room decorating themes when decorating your living room. The most important element that having a decorating theme provides to any designer is the ability to see something as a collective group. Many people will find a piece of furniture that they fall in love with, and have nothing to match it with. Others will find a pattern of wall paper that looks like it came straight from heaven, yet won't be able to find a single piece of furniture to match. When you think of living room design in terms of living room decorating themes, you will avoid having this problem, and end up with a final product that is as kind to the eye, as it is collectively matching.

The living room decorating themes that are most common amongst people today often come in several ways, but most likely deal with work, play, or family. Each category shares some similarities when it comes to living room decorating themes, but each is distinctively different in other ways.

A living room decorating theme focused around work should incorporate all that one needs to accomplish their goals for a work at home office. Can a living room really be an office? Absolutely, in fact, the number of people telecommuting to work is higher today, than ever before. When doing a living room decorating theme around this concept, simply make the space a useful one, with sofas that position your body upright, chairs that could be used for conferences and tables that could be used as desks. The more double duty the furniture you choose does, the better your living room decorating theme will be.

Thinking of a living room decorating themes is the realm of play, is as much fun as living in one. There are a many ways to make a living room the ultimate playroom. Everything from home theater elements, to parlor games should be considered when doing this living room decorating theme. You could skip wall paper on a wall, and install a chalkboard, or a white board, for the fun of it. It doesn't get much more playful than drawing on the wall.

While most think of a family living room decorating theme as one with board games, and fluffy carpet, it can be much more. Family oriented living room decorating themes are common in home decorating circles, and often are similar in looks. In order to accommodate a family you must have a place for everyone to sit. For this theme, you should focus on making the sofa as large as possible, with as much room for the family as needed. Using the sofa as a design anchor, the rest of this living room decorating theme should fall into place.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of http://www.livingroomdatabase.com Visit today to get more free living room decorating tips to decorate a beautiful and charming living room of your wildest dreams.

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Choosing Furniture For Your Dining Room

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Although estate agents and property pundits keep telling us that the "kitchen-diner" is the place to be, there's still a lot to be said for a more formal dining area in your home. Many people who love the informality of a kitchen table also want to have somewhere special for family occasions, holiday meals or just to provide an additional eating space.

When you're choosing dining room furniture, you want to be sure that you are buying a table and chairs that will fit well into your room and give you the flexibility and space you need for those special meals. You want a table that will look great when it's not in use, but is practical; able to sit a large number of people comfortably, wide enough to accommodate place settings and serving dishes and sturdy enough to withstand late-night dinner parties or raucous children's teas.

You'll also need to think about how much you can spend on your furniture. A dining room table is a big purchase and an expensive one. Consider how often you will be using the room and what for - make sure you choose a table that you can live with for many years, rather than one that's trendy this year but will be out of fashion by next Christmas.

There is a wide range of dining furniture available, and it pays to take the time to do some research. Browse the internet for ideas, or take a look at interior décor magazines to see what sort of furniture appeals to you. Visit showrooms to check out prices and to try out the furniture for yourself. There's nothing worse than spending a fortune on furniture only to discover that the chairs are uncomfortable or the extendable leaves don't work smoothly.

Buying furniture for your dining room needs to be an informed process, just like any other. Get it right, and you will have invested in a beautiful piece of furniture that will last a lifetime.

About the Author:

Napton Teaks specialises in teak and rosewood furniture for your home. Visit our website now by clicking on Quality teak furniture.

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Hard Wood Flooring the best for your Home

Installing Hardwood Flooring in your house is a wise decision and a long-term investment in your property. A Hardwood Floor hold its value, or even increase your home's resale value, exceeding the initial installation cost of the Floors. Hardwood Flooring has enjoyed widespread popularity for many decades.

Known for its durability and elegant looks, Hardwood has graced the Floors of everything from early rural Mansions to modern urban Condos. Wood Flooring is one of the most beautiful Floors you can use in your decorating scheme. There are not only several colors available but there are also many different species as well and each have their own distinct characteristics.

Choosing the right wood Floor for your specific taste and needs can be a challenge. There is no denying that the look and texture of solid Hardwood Floors have a unique appeal. They lend a sense of hominess, a sense of performance and old-world reliability that cannot be delivered in the same way by any other type of Flooring. And Hardwood also lends notable structural benefit to a property as well.

This is significant not only for overall longevity of your home or commercial space, but also a greater value to that property too. Hardwood Floors truly stand alone; a Floor that exudes class, and in a class by itself.

With so many choices, it can be hard to decide on a Flooring product. Of course you want a Floor that looks good and adds the right style for your home. But you also want to consider a material's durability, comfort, and ease of installation, as well as how simple it is to clean. Your home is a special space. You will want to make a decision that will not only suit your style but will also be durable and easy to maintain so you can enjoy your new Flooring for years to come.

Hardwood Flooring is available in a wide variety of species: Birch, Cherry, Jatoba, Maple, Oak, and more, allowing you a great selection for your particular Flooring application. Stained Hardwood Flooring is another attractive option you may consider. For Hardwood Flooring board, there are several varieties from which to choose, and all of them have advantages as far as look and practicality are concerned.

Hardwood Flooring is a healthy Flooring choice for interior living environments. There is much lower levels of chemical emissions from natural wood products. In addition, Hardwood Floors do not accumulate and trap dust, particulates and allergens that commonly occur with carpets.

About the Author:

John Gibb is the owner of hardwood flooring sources , For more information on hardwood flooring check out http://www.Hardwood-Flooring-Sources.Info

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10 tips to update your kitchen

Saturday, September 16, 2006

1.One thing at a time!
When taking on a home improvement project, it's best not to overwhelm one's self. It's important to pick your battles one at a time. Doing a complete kitchen remodel can be costly and time consuming. This article will focus on an easy cabinet renovation for just about any level of do-it-yourselfer. You can save the floor, counter top, and appliance replacements for further down the road. We are choosing to renovate the existing cabinet boxes for two reasons, a) simply the cost, and b) the existing boxes have more longevity than anything on the market today that would replace them.

2.Paint the cabinet boxes.
Older homes generally have dark heavy stain on them. To remove or refinish the stain would be rather time consuming with limited results. The easiest and most dramatic course is to paint the cabinet boxes. This can be a plain white for easy upkeep and repair, or something more colorful for a more contemporary look.

3.Replace with new doors.
One of the biggest obstacles with a cabinet renovation is how to salvage damaged doors. They rarely line up well and often times are chipped, cracked or just plain abused. The most effective way to solve this is to replace them with a stunning raised panel door in any of a variety of hardwoods or simply use a paint grade door that you can match or accent the color you painted your cabinet boxes.

4.Adjustable new hinges.
Once you've elected to replace your doors, now it's time to decide what kind of hinge you will want to use. A typical face mount hinge leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to installing and aligning your doors. They leave zero room for adjustment just shy of bending and tweaking them to fit your needs. A wonderful alternative is a euro style hidden hinge. Many of these offer various degrees of adjustment with some offering up to 6 ways of adjustment to make sure every door fits just right!

5.And new drawer fronts.
Along with replacing your doors, you will also be replacing your drawer fronts to match your new doors. This can lead to a whole new set of problems. Will you be able to simply remove your existing drawer fronts? Even if you can, do the drawers still work properly? Or do they stick and grind on old hardware that is worn out? Not to worry, there are solutions for that as well.

6.New boxes and slides.
A lot of times you will find yourself fighting with a drawer on a regular basis. This can be frustrating and at times when company is around, it can also be embarrassing. When renovating your cabinets, also take the extra step to replace your old worn out drawer boxes and slide hard ware. You'll be glad you did!

7.Painting the interiors.
One area that tends to get over looked is the interiors of your cabinets. When renovating your cabinets, be sure to address this area too. Painting the interior of your cabinets can make the insides look like new. This really complements all the time money and effort you put into the exteriors. Again white is the easiest to work with but an accent color can be exciting too!

8.Removing the shelf paper.
Is the shelving paper old, dated, and tore-up? Then it's probably time to go! The easiest method for removal is to use a simple household hair drier. This is just the right temperature to loosen the glue. You can also use the assistance of a putty knife for those more difficult areas.

9.Maybe shelf replacement?
Maybe the shelves themselves are sagging or warped. Now is a good time to replace them. ¾ inch melamine is a good choice for a strong durable solution. And future cleaning will be a breeze!

10.Sink cabinet bottom replacement.
One last problem area you will may like to address is right beneath the sink. The one place that you store a good number of cleaning agents that can do damage when left sitting for long periods of time. Or possibly you had a leaky sink at some point. This spot too can be remedied with a 1/4 inch overlay.

For more tips and tricks for cabinet renovation, check out the How To Instructions at www.NewTaylorDoor.com. The site is updated quite regularly with new tips and ideas.

More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com

Modular Office Furniture

Friday, September 15, 2006

What is a modular office?

A modular office is an economical and convenient way to increase space for your business. These are stand-alone offices and cost a good deal less than construction of additional space to a building would. There are many exciting aspects of a modular office. They are erected in a little as 1to 2 hours, depending upon the features and size of the office. They are built out of fire resistant material for safety and if you ever need to expand or move the modular office it can be done with relative ease. You certainly cannot say that when you actually add on to a building.

Not only are modular offices cost effective and easy to maneuver, but also they can be used for any reason you see fit. Modular offices can be used for executive offices, workstations, storage, classrooms, laboratories, retail stores, and many other valuable uses. What is more, these buildings can be fully equipped with electricity, heating and air, carpet, interior walls, windows and doors. It is simply like adding a new addition to your building, but for less cost.

Modular Office Furniture

Within your modular office, you will obviously want specific furniture to help you get the most out of the space you have and create a less crowded working environment. It is wise to plan the layout for your modular office furniture. Just as with any office, a modular office has limited space and you want to maximize it with the usage for furniture, equipment, and people. Consider maximizing your space by purchasing workstations that serve a variety of purposes. For example, consider a workstation that is a computer desk, filing cabinet, and storage area all in one. By providing one of these for each person within the modular office, you are eliminating the need for excess furniture and you will provide more room for movement for those working in the office.

You could consider a desk, hutch, and filing cabinet that all fit together easily just like a puzzle. If more than two workers will use the same office space, consider having multi purpose furniture. Instead of two printer stands, one for each person, use one printer stand with one printer networked to both computers. One filing cabinet with enough space for both workers should be sufficient. If one filing cabinet simply will not work, consider incorporating a filing cabinet into each workstation to save on space.

With careful planning and an eye for design, you can maximize the workspace within a modular office. It is important that you carefully take into consideration the number of people that will work in the modular office. You will want to make sure that the design of modular office furniture leaves enough room for the workers to remain comfortable and not feeling like they are cramped. They should have enough room to move around at will.

A modular office and modular office furniture are excellent, economical, and time saving methods for any business. You will find that your business and workers love the ease, design, and safety of these convenient offices.

To learn more about modular offices, visit the http://modularoffice.zupatips.com/ pages.

About the author:

Daniel Roshard is an interior designer fascinated by outdoor architecture, he is currently studying public parks and outdoor design. Daniel is writing Modular Office Furniture articles for ZupaTips.com

More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com

How To Choose A 'safe' Color To Paint Your Rooms

Are you STILL thinking about painting your walls with color?

Many people are afraid to make the leap from 'builder's beige' to
a more daring color choice. What holds you back? Are you afraid
the color will be too strong? Not match your furniture? Or you'll
become tired of it and have to start over again?

While you're debating the work involved you are missing out on
one of the basic elements of design that can change the entire
look of your room for under $50. Your tired furniture can become
new again and a mismatched room can have designer flare! So, how
do you choose the right color?

The first recommendation is to choose a tinted neutral. Why is
that? Instead of choosing rich, deep colors for your first
project, you will likely feel more comfortable with a neutral
such as beige or gray which will not date the room or create a
jarring palate that you will easily tire of.

However, when you go to your local home improvement store you
will be faced with a sea of color swatches - hundreds of versions
of basic beige and gray to choose from. So before you go,
consider these steps to choosing the right color for you.

If you like the feel of a warm and cozy room - think of
fireplaces, brown leather and sunsets - then you'll want to start
with a beige tone.

Now, consider your furniture and accessories. What colors do you
see? If you have a lot of black or navy you may wish to choose a
beige with orange or pink undertones to keep the look warm. If
you have browns or reds in your furniture, select a cooler beige
with ashy tones to avoid 'overheating' your room.

If you prefer a cooler, airy look - chrome, glass and shades of
icy blue - then select gray tones. Some stores will have a 'true
gray' color swatch which you can use to compare with their
designer selections. On comparison you will notice that each gray
has undertones. Some will have blue or lavender tones, others may
have green or even a hint of pink.

Using the same guide as stated above, identify the main colors of
furniture and accessories in the room. Use green or pink toned
greys with cool toned furnishings to avoid it from feeling like
an ice box. Use blue or lavender undertones in rooms with warmer
colored furnishings.

If you are really torn between beige or gray, than the easiest
color to work with is green. Keeping it in a muted tone will make
it very easy to live with, and will work with most color
palates.

Painting rooms with color will bring the finishing touch to your
home - don't you deserve it?

About the Author:

Johnson Design specialise in Interior Design and Decorating. He is also CEO of http://interior-design.monstercyber.com .

More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com

The Bathroom Ceiling Fan

Today, the humble ceiling fan has come a long way since its inception way back during the industrial revolution. Innovative industrial workers who used to spend long and hard hours slogging away at the factories, created the earliest of ceiling fans. They would attach wooden or metal blades to overhead rotating shafts that were used to drive the machinery they used to work on.

They served the same function then as they do today, that is keeping people cool. Ceiling fans are a great way of keeping cool in summer, especially when you don’t want to run the air conditioner. In contrast, when you need warmth in winter months, you can bring down the warm air accumulated near you ceiling by running your ceiling fan in low and reverse speed. These are much less noisy and obtrusive as compared to box fans or air conditioners.

Ceiling fans have become so popular these days that they have found a place in every room of our homes. It’s true that we need them in our bedrooms, living rooms etc. to beat the heat. But, even the bathroom can feel stuffy at times. Especially when you are drying your hair, tidying up the place or simply spending some quality time on the pot. This is where the bathroom-ceiling fan comes in. It circulates and ventilates your bathroom without interfering with your bathroom activities.

Bathroom ceiling fans come in a wide variety of styles to match your interior design wishes. You can get them to match or contrast with the tiles in your bathroom as per your desire. Before you purchase a bathroom-ceiling fan, you will need to consider the blade sweep. Bathrooms are usually smaller much smaller in area compared to most other rooms and you do not want to overwhelm a small room with a ceiling fan that’s too big. Another factor you need to keep in mind when buying a bathroom-ceiling fan is the height of your bathroom ceiling. It is advisable to have at least 7 feet of clearance from the bathroom floor. If you have an 8-foot ceiling, you should use a ceiling fan with three inch down rod.

Most bathroom ceiling fans are available in the 3-blade variety. You don’t want too many blades on your fan in a small room, else you might end up with a miniature tornado in your bathroom every time you turn it on. If you keep newspapers and other reading material in the bathroom, you might want a bathroom-ceiling fan with adjustable speeds that you can set according to your preference and needs.

If you are like me, the bathroom is the one place where you can plan out your whole day in peace. And if you have a bathroom ceiling fan keeping you cool, nothing like it eh? And installing a bathroom ceiling fan is a fairly easy job for most people. Some of the best and most popular bathrooms ceiling fan brands are Casablanca, Hampton Bay and Hugger. And there is one to match everyone’s taste, so go ahead pick up a bathroom-ceiling fan and make the time you spend in your bathroom an enjoyable experience.

About the author:

Daniel Roshard is a interior designer fascinated by garden architecture, currently studying integration of home appliances to outdoors parks and gardens. Daniel is writing reviews and tips on Bathroom Ceiling Fans for ZupaTips.com

Article Source: Interior Design Guide

More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com

The area rug you want

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Every home benefits from the touch of a certain something which provides the household with a unique ambiance, contributing even to beneficial adjustments of your own mood. An empty room is uninviting, but a well decorated one becomes a personal sanctuary. We simply choose things to complete our space, to fill the emptiness and give it our own flavour. So we bring in beds, wardrobes, tables, lamps, flower pots… What about the floor? A ‘naked’ floor gives a room an unfinished aspect. To put the finishing touches we have to think about bringing in a rug. How do we pick the appropriate one for our interior?

Well, for one thing, rugs come in a great number and in a wide range of categories. All you need to do is look around your room or your entire household and decide on the color, size and shape of the rug or rugs you want to buy. It is sufficient to find a rug which fits the general aspect and tone of the furniture or walls to make the interior design perfect. Of course, everyone wants to purchase high-quality rugs because rugs are not just decorative, they serve a functional purpose as well. They cover and protect parquet flooring and provide a warm, soft and comfortable feeling for your feet.

A hand-made area rug is even nowadays considered a top rug choice. However, if you intend to place your area rug in a spot where the daily to-ing and fro-ing is constantly repeated, then opting for an area rug made from a more durable fabric like wool for instance is a great choice. Also, takeing a while to consider the colors of such an area rug is very important. Light or pale hues are less dust or stain-resistant than brighter, more intense colors. Although even a today machine-made area rug can keep up with frequent movement around the house, such a rug is provided for a more costly charge than a less-resistant machine-made area rug. Another advantage you can find in machine-made rugs is that they are produced on a larger scale than handmade rugs.

A provoking idea would be to choose a rug made from silk. However, such rugs – Persian rugs – are less sturdy than their wool-made counterparts (this does not mean that Persian Rugs are made exclusively from silk, they are also made from wool). Persian rugs made from silk are more pricy since this material is more luxurious. So, as long as you can afford it, such Persian rugs make a very refined choice. These rugs however cannot be placed just anywhere in the house, but they are rather appropriate for elegant living rooms because they are ornamental rugs and their purpose is to delight the eye.

Additionally, a hand-made area rug, as a rule, will provide your room with a specific, distinctive identity. Depending on the type of interlacing or interweaving used, the appearance of the carpet you put on the floor will be more robust or more delicate and fragile. Therefore, wool-made carpets may as well be thinner, but this does not depend on the material, but rather on the used weaving technique. A well-informed, experienced area rug provider will answer all your questions regarding the weaving procedures for different carpets. He or she will know to tell you whether ties are more compact or sparser in the structure of this or that carpet which can be significantly useful for detecting the quality of an area rug. An area rug in the construction of which ties or knots are closer is definitely sturdier and, as a consequence, more durable, so you can trustily position it in a room which is unrestricted to regular, everyday movement.

Therefore, after having made your option for the appropriate floor-covering, all you have to do now is protect it. Buying a carpet means paying a certain price and surely you want to be the beneficiary of your investment for as long as possible. Because of this reason, having a vacuum cleaner and special detergents at hand is always useful to guarantee a longer life for your rug.

Whether you buy it for your bedroom or for your children’s room, or whether you need to cover you hallway with it, keeping your rug clean and trying to bring its structure as little damage as possible (damaging it means cutting or burning it by mistake, or spilling drinks on it - and such happenings may occur more than once) will offer you a longer period of time to enjoy your choice.

About the author:

If you are interested in buying an area rug for your house, you now have the opportunity to choose from a large variety of rugs the perfect one for you.

More Articles visit: http://home-interior.blogspot.com

Shedding Light On Halogen Lights And Bulbs

There are 32 light fixtures blazing away in an average American household. These are the lights in your fridge, hallway, workshop, and porch. Most of these light bulbs are cheap two-for-a-dollar incandescent, screw-type bulbs. This is remarkable because the incandescent bulbs have been around for over a century using the same technology. Although these bulbs still suffice for the lighting needs of the average household, people have become discriminating and looked for other options. Popular choices for many households are halogen lights and bulbs. They are preferred over the incandescent varieties because they emit light that are of whiter and brighter nature. Also, these halogen lights and bulbs generally last longer than ordinary incandescent lights.

How do these halogen lights and bulbs differ from the incandescent lights? Their difference primarily lies on the principles governing their functions. Incandescent lights work by having electricity flow through a fine filament of tungsten inside the bulb filled with argon gas. This action causes the filament to resist the electric flow, which makes the argon gas heat up. The heat causes the argon gas to glow and emit light. Miniscule tungsten particles evaporate and accumulate on bulb walls as soot. As the tungsten burns out, the filament grows weak and ultimately, burn out. There are key disadvantages to this process. First, the soot reduces light emission, resulting in duller light output. Second, the soot weakens the tungsten filament and makes it brittle, hence, promoting faster burnout. Given these problems, incandescent lights are best suited for low traffic areas where soft lighting are better appreciated like the bedrooms.

The function of halogen lights are similar to those of incandescent bulbs, but with key structural differences. Halogen lights and bulbs are composed of peanut-sized and pressurized bulbs inside larger outer shells. The inner bulbs are halogen chambers. The halogen from these bulbs direct the evaporating tungsten to the filaments. As a result, the tungsten filament is constantly rebuilt. Decreased outer shell soot maintains bright light output. The rebuilding of the tungsten filament also makes the halogen lights last longer. The brighter and whiter light of the halogen bulbs make them suitable for high-traffic areas like hallways, living spaces, and work areas.

Because of these qualities, halogen lights and bulbs are preferable in most situations. There are several benefits from using halogen lights. Halogen lights are perfect for exacting tasks that require focus like reading or woodworking. Bright lighting reduces risks of eye strain and eye problems. Mistakes are also lessened because everything is put under clearer focus. Halogen lights are also best for display purposes. Bright light highlights artworks, crystals, and photos perfectly by making the colors and features stand out vibrantly. Halogen floodlights are suitable for outdoor lighting because they illuminate places with brighter light. Generally, halogen bulbs are cheaper than the standard incandescent because they eliminate the need for frequent replacements.

However, halogen lights and bulbs heat up quickly. As such, they must be installed in higher places or in built-in recesses. Their bright lights, while beneficial, must be shaded to prevent eye problems. Halogen lights and bulbs are not perfect, but with proper installation and correct use, they can serve homeowners longer and better.

About the author:

Get informed about latest information on halogen lights and bulbs and lighting fixtures, please visit http://www.halogen-light.net/

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